'File 19/191 IV (C 103) Bahrain, Persian Claim To' [‎154v] (311/681)

provided the Persian Government will consent to the TJttabis continuing in the
undisturbed occupation of Bahrein the Sheikh would readily agree to pay
tribute, and for this purpose the mediation of the British Government woul"
be gladly afforded provided it could be employed in such a manner as to avoid
anvthing which might in any shape involve us in the transactions of the partis
after the conclusion of the negotiation immediately referred to . . .
Aitchison,
Vol. XI,
No. viii, 233.
Aitchison,
Vol. XI,
No. xix, 245-9.
Lt. McLeod
to Govt, of
Bombay,
No. 8, dated
17.2.1823,
paras. 30,
64-5.
Precis, 297.
Teh. Desp.,
10.5.1820.
Treaty of 1820 between Bahrein and His Majesty's Government
16. On 17th January, 1820, the Sheikh agreed to surrender certain pirate
craft which had taken refuge in his territories, and undertook to the Brh'iMi
Government not to admit any more boats of the same character until authoi ise(
to do so bv the British authorities. On 5th February, 1820, a preliminary
Treaty of Peace was signed between the Sheikh and His Majesty's Government
and on 23rd February, 1820, the Sheikhs were admitted to the benefits of
the General Treaty of Peace which had been made between His Majesty's Govern
ment and the Arab rulers of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and under which His Majesty's
Government undertook, in return for abstention by those rulers from pn a; \
and the slave trade, that " if any shall attack them the British Government
shall take notice of it" (Article 10). The Sheikh of Bahrein went so far as
to claim subsequently that the treaty in question established relations of protec
tion and dependence between the British Government and himself, but it was
made clear to him by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. while on a
visit to Bahrein in 18'23 that this was not the case.
Proposal for British Mediation with Bahrein not taken up hy Persia
17. On 10th May, 1820, His Majesty's Minister at Tehran reported to
the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. that he had been received in audience by the Shah
on 5th May and had put to him the proposal referred to in paragraph 15 ! or
British mediation with a view to securing tribute to Persia from Bahrein The
Shah had replied that "he wished that advices should be received from Shiraz
before the mediation of the British Government to render Bahrein a tributary
to Persia can be accepted." Sir H. Willock remarked that " the great repugnance
of the Shah to the formation of any British settlement in the neighbourhood of
Persia was strongly manifested by His ^Tajesty s not immediately accepting tlu
British mediation' to obtain a tribute from the island of Bahrein, an object
which he so urgently desired and which His Majesty was aware must at a future
period be difficult of attainment from the already advanced stage of negotiations
between the Sheikhs of Bahrein and the Imam of Muscat."
and ivithdrawn (1820)
No 1485 to 18. On the 3rd October, 1820, the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. instructed Sir H.
Tehran. Willock to take the earliest opportunity of informing the Persian Government
" that as our views are exclusively limited to the extirpation of piracy, it would £
be contrary to our policy, in the present state of the Gulf, to afford the mediation
we formerly offered between His Majesty [the Shah] and the Uttabis of Bahrein."
Summary, 1783-1820
19. In 1799 the Sheikhdom, independent since 1783, professed allegiance
to Persia and paid a year's tribute, but it was immediately afterwards con
quered by the Imam of Muscat, and thereafter fell under the influence and
ultimately the control of the Wahabi Amir. Liberated by Muscat in 1811, it
aopealed to the Wahabis in 1816 against the Imam and defeated him.
1 " In 1816 or 1817 a Persian envoy was received at Bahrein and presents
exchanged While no details are available as to what precisely took place on
this occasion the incident had no effective sequel. Persian authority was not
asserted in the island between the date of the visit and 1820, and in the latter
year the island became temporarily subject and tributary to Muscat.
In 1820 Bahrein entered into its first formal treaty with the British Govern
ment. and that Government, on condition that the Sheikhs abstained from piracy,
undertook to " take notice " " if any shall attack them."